Jon Stewart’s ‘Rally to Restore Sanity’ coming to Seattle

Thousands will rally at Seattle’s Westlake Center Saturday, an act of solidarity with thousands more in Washington D.C. and other cities across the country.

They’re gathering to “restore sanity” in the wake of a recent conservative uprising that has cable TV pundits and talk-radio hosts speculating about a Tea Party revolution. The people rallying Saturday are coming together under the banner of one of the nation’s best-known political satirists to say that won’t happen.

The rally started as a Washington D.C. event to respond to Fox TV pundit Glenn Beck’s “Restoring Honor” rally last summer. A call when out soon after for Comedy Central satirists Jon Stewart and Steven Colbert to hold rallies of their own.

Besides the event in Washington D.C., satellite rallies are also planned in other major cities, including Boston and Los Angeles. More than 5,000 people had registered to attend Seattle’s satellite rally late Tuesday night.

Advertised primarily on Facebook, the local movement grew from a whim.

Maple Valley resident Jim Baum heard about Stewart’s rally while watching TV at a friend’s house. The housing inspector was once featured on “The Daily Show” in a segment about King County listing a Sasquatch as an endangered species, but he’s since canceled his cable subscription.

Baum started a Facebook page after hearing about Stewart’s rally, wondering how interested others would be in holding a similar rally in Seattle.

Very interested, was the answer he got.

Now he’s making arrangements to close city streets and thinking about security plans.

“It’s pretty much barricades and no parking signs for me,” Baum said talking via cell phone earlier this week.

He added: “This may be the beginning of a new age. Because of the Internet, there is such as thing as a literal, honest-to-god grassroots movement.”

Baum believes the rally’s popularity stems from a desire to publicly respond to attention heaped on the conservative Tea Party movement lately.

“Those people get all the press, and it’s being portrayed as, the mood of the country is this,” said Baum. “And the reality is the mood of the country is doing their laundry. When we get around to it, we’ll get out there.”

The satirical event is a plea, according to organizers. “Please join us to send a message: That sane, calm discussion is better than shrill, angry shouting,” the Seattle rally’s website advertises.

Saturday’s “Rally to Restore Sanity” in Washington D.C. starts at noon, so Seattle’s starts at 9 a.m. Parts of the D.C. rally will be played at Westlake Center, but the event will also feature local comedians.

“We have the potential to make this one of the largest rallies that’s probably ever occurred in downtown Seattle,” Baum said.

Baum said the rally will proceed regardless of rainy weather.Those attending can find out more on Facebook or at sanityseattle.com.